The Campaign (formerly Dog Fight)

[BillBrasky]

We had a news thread about this a while back, but now the movie has a name, and the cast is starting to fill out.

From the Hollywood Reporter:

Jason Sudeikis continues his run of booking parts in high-profile comedy projects. This time the Saturday Night Live regular will play politics with Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis in Dog Fight, which Jay Roach is directing.

Shawn Harwell and frequent Ferrell collaborator Chris Henchy wrote the screenplay, about rival politicians in a small congressional district in South Carolina. Sarah Baker and Katherine LaNasa have also been cast.

Galifianakis is producing along with Roach, through his Everyman Pictures, and Ferrell and Adam McKay, through their Gary Sanchez Prods. shingle. Warner Bros. is distributing the movie, which begins filming mid-November in New Orleans for an August release.

[Craig B]

[jkwall]

The cast and writers of this are great. Unfortunately, it's a Jay Roach movie. Between this and Game Change it does seem like he's trying to take his work in a new direction though so hopefully I will be surprised.

[BillBrasky]

Yeah, between Chris Henchy writing and Gary Sanchez producing, it seems like Adam McKay should be directing this movie. He didn't do anything in 2011 and doesn't seem to have anything lined up for 2012 either. Wonder what his next directing assignment will be.

[BillBrasky]

This movie is now called "The Campaign" (dull title):

[BillBrasky]

[Gluehead]

Nice to see Seth Galifianakis in this.

[Pimpbot]

Seems like a great premise and cast but the trailer was lackluster. Hoping for better things from the actual movie.

[ImAScooby]

I have a feeling I am going to be distracted every time someone gives Zach's character name and it isn't Seth.

[aenemaTron]

mm hm

[Gern Blanston]

[BillBrasky]

The Campaign - Bande Annonce VO by WarnerBrosPicturesFrance

[BillBrasky]

[BillBrasky]

Probably just BS, but Star Magazine ran a story about how Will and Zach weren't getting along so great on the set of this movie.

[BillBrasky]

This really seemed like an Adam McKay movie, down to scenes like the one where Zach is talking to his kids at the dinner table and they are confessing to various horrible things, which really seemed reminiscent of the dinner table scenes from Talladega Nights. Even Ferrell's character seemed like a slightly toned down version of Ricky Bobby/George W. Bush.

Unfortunately, the movie wasn't quite up to that level, although there are several very funny scenes. A lot of it has been spoiled by the ads, although there are a few surprises (as funny as the punching a baby scene is, there is a topper to it that is even funnier. Even that is also kind of a ripoff of a sketch McKay wrote for SNL though- the one where Alec Baldwin played a politician who accidentally shoots Lassie and consequently gets booed at every press conference for it).

Unfortunately, it looks like this is the best (read: only) comedy coming out this month (unless you count "For a Good Time, Call", which I think is a limited release). So this probably means it will do well, as it really doesn't have much competition at the box office.

[BillBrasky]

Will Ferrell & Zach Galifianakis Debate Children from Will Ferrell

[Umlaut]

Not all the good scenes were spoiled in the trailer. There were a few more funny scenes which I will spoil for you right...now.

[smartbunny]

"Can you say 'Action' like on George Lopez?"

[BillBrasky]

Not all the good scenes were spoiled in the trailer. There were a few more funny scenes which I will spoil for you right...now.

If this was directed at me, I really don't think I spoiled anything with what I said. You'll still be surprised when you see it.

[Gluehead]

This feels exactly like an Adam McKay movie except for one thing: it lacks his absurdist imagination. It never goes far enough as either political satire or as surreal baby-punching silliness and instead stays safely in the middle, happy to rely on lazy R-rated gags where Will just says stuff dirtier than you're expecting. It's decent, I laughed quite a bit and Zach actually gives a really great performance but I couldn't stop hoping it'd cut loose and take a few risks.